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Junior doctors strike to go ahead as mediation fails

Mediation talks between junior doctors and their employers today have
failed to resolve a deep dispute between them over rosters.
About 3000 junior doctors went on strike last week, in a dispute between
the Resident Doctors Association and DHBs over hours, rosters and pay.

The regulatory body for all doctors, the Medical Council, stepped in this week and urged cooperation at today's talks.

Both sides agreed to mediation this week, with talks that began
mid-morning today in Auckland, but by the afternoon it had failed.

District health boards this afternoon said they were disappointed the
Resident Doctors Association had rejected attempts to resolve the row
and prevent another strike next week.

They said they bargained in good faith, but the union had no new
suggestions for addressing issues such as hospitals' need for greater
flexibility in rostering.

Union national secretary Deborah Powell rejected that, saying they had
ideas but the DHBs would not withdraw planned clawbacks concerning the
rosters.

"What we suggested was that we simply roll over the current collective
employment agreement, but importantly accept the medical council's
invitation to have the chair of the medical council work with us to find
solutions to these problems."